Falling
by buffygirl52789
Summary: First in my Dawn & Connor series. Dawn spends a week at Angel Investigations, and when she meets Connor, it turns into a week neither of them will ever forget. [Complete]
1. Chapter 1: First Impressions

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, unfortunately.

Rating: PG 13

Pairing: D/C, with a little bit of B/A

Author's Note: Here is my attempt at a D/C fic. Basically this will follow one week in the lives of Dawn

and Connor as they get to know each other. The timeline is a little screwy, but I had to make it work. So this is set in Buffy Season 7/Angel Season 4, after the events of Sleeper and before the events of Apocalypse, Nowish. I know that's a little messed up, but it's the best I could do. Please Read and Review. Thanks! Erin

Chapter 1: First Impressions

Friday afternoon, Sunnydale

"Buffy, I don't understand why I can't come," Dawn complained. She was sitting on the bed in Buffy's room, while her sister was running around throwing clothes into a suitcase. "You're taking Spike, and he's not even sane! So why not me?"

Buffy turned and looked at Dawn. "Dawn, I already explained this to you. We need to go to England because Giles needs our help. I don't even know what we're going to be up against, but if he's having us come all the way there, it must be bad. And I am not letting you get hurt! As for Spike, we think a change of pace could do him good." She continued to pack.

"Well then why can't I stay here? I don't want to go to LA," Dawn said. "I can so stand up for myself, you even started teaching me to fight, or did you conveniently forget that?"

Buffy glared at her sister. "I don't have time for this. We need to be on the road in less than an hour. Are you even packed yet?"

Dawn stood up reluctantly. "No." She began walking out of the room, then stopped. "Does Angel even want me there? I'll probably just get in the way, like I do here," she said spitefully.

Buffy didn't look up this time. "He loved the idea when I talked to him. And of course you won't get in the way," she said, sounding somewhat unconvinced.

Dawn stormed out of the room and entered her own. She threw herself down on the bed. She couldn't believe this. When would Buffy ever trust her to take care of herself? She was sixteen years old. She sighed and stood up to start packing.

Two hours later

Friday night, Los Angeles

Xander's car pulled up outside the Hyperion Hotel. Dawn was somewhat relieved, it was incredibly cramped in the car. Xander was driving, Anya was riding shotgun, and Willow, Buffy, Dawn, and Spike were crammed in the back. It wasn't as bad as the beginning of the ride, when it was still light out and Spike had to lie on the floor covered with a blanket.

"I still can't believe Giles is encouraging me to leave the shop and our source of income," Anya said, sounding extremely irritated.

Buffy closed her eyes for a moment. "Anya, he said that he needs everyone on board." She turned to Dawn before Anya could object. "Are you ready?"

Dawn nodded she climbed over Spike, who had been silent throughout the whole ride. She fetched her bag from the trunk.

"I'll walk you in," Buffy said, trying to hide her anticipation of the fact that she was about to see Angel.

"Bye Dawnie. Have fun," Willow said, smiling. Dawn smiled back and waved to everyone. Then she followed Buffy.

"This is some digs Angel has," Dawn said, looking up at the hotel, impressed. Buffy nodded. Her voice felt strangely frozen at the moment.

They walked through the doors into the lobby. Immediately Cordy came running towards them from behind the desk. "It's the Summers girls! Oh my God, I haven't seen you guys in forever!" she said, hugging them both. Dawn smirked when she realized that she had technically never even met Cordelia or Angel, because all of her memories were fake up until two years ago.

"Wow Cordy, you look great," Buffy said to her former almost-friend.

Cordy grinned. "So do you! And Dawn, you got so big, you are quite the young lady now." Dawn smiled. At that moment Wesley, a small brunette, and a tall black man came out of the office.

"Oh, here they are, you guys know Wesley, and this is Fred and Gunn," Cordy said, introducing them. "Fred, Gunn, this is Buffy and Dawn."

Fred smiled and waved. "Hi!" she said brightly. Dawn instantly liked her.

Gunn looked Buffy up and down. "So this is Buffy," he said. "The slayer."

Buffy smiled. "That's me." She turned to Wesley. "Hi Wesley," she said, trying to ignore her shock at his much changed appearance.

Wesley smiled. "Hello Buffy. Hello Dawn."

At that moment, Angel came down the stairs, accompanied by a flamboyantly dressed green skinned demon. Buffy's heart skipped a little beat, as it always did when she saw her former lover.

Angel smiled as he approached the Summers girls. "Hey! You made it," he said. He locked eyes with Buffy for a moment. He fought the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. "Um, this is Lorne," he said, gesturing to the green demon, and reluctantly breaking his eye contact with Buffy.

"Well if it isn't the Summers women, we've heard so much! All lovely of course," Lorne said, shaking hands with Buffy and Dawn. Lorne was another one that Dawn instantly took a liking to.

"Angel, can I have a word?" Buffy asked, motioning outside. Angel nodded.

"Cordy, why don't you show Dawn her room," he said, before following Buffy.

Cordy put her arm around Dawn. "I have your room all fixed up. Let's go check it out," she said, glancing over her shoulder at Buffy and Angel.

Buffy and Angel walked outside. "I know I can trust you to take care of her," Buffy said quietly.

Angel nodded. "Of course. We'll do everything we can to make Dawn feel at home." He tried to ignore the Scoobies, who were watching their exchange eagerly from the car. "Do you know when you'll be back?"

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. Hopefully within a week. It's a good thing Dawn's on break from school this week," she said. There was an awkward silence.

"Well Dawn's welcome here for as long as you need. Do you know what kind of trouble there is in England?" he asked, concerned for the safety of his love.

"Don't know. That's the question of the hour. But it must be big if Giles asked all of us to come," she replied.

He frowned. "Well please be careful." His mind was racing, there was so many things he knew he should tell Buffy. Connor was the one thing that sprang to his mind. Buffy still didn't know that he had a son. But she interrupted his thoughts.

"I should really be going, we have a plane to catch," she said. "I'll just say goodbye to Dawn," she said, heading back inside.

Angel nodded. Against his better judgement, he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Be careful. We'll take good care of Dawn here."

She was slightly taken aback by his kiss, but smiled. "I know."

They headed inside and out of the watchful gaze of the Scoobies. Dawn and Cordy were just coming back downstairs.

"Well, bye Dawn. Be good," Buffy said, giving her sister a hug.

Dawn smirked. "I'll try not to cause panic and mayhem everywhere I walk."

Buffy ignored her sister's comment. "Bye. I love you." Then with a final fleeting smile at Angel, she left the hotel. Angel, Dawn, Cordy, Gunn, Fred, Wesley, and Lorne were left standing around the lobby silently.

"So is your room okay Dawn?" Angel asked.

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, it's fine." She was obviously uncomfortable, which was not unreasonable considering half the people in the room were utter strangers and the rest had never really met her anyway. It was all just a load of crap planted there by the monks.

"Well folks, I'd better be leaving, I have a reading with a Skarl demon in twenty," Lorne said. "I just hope he doesn't sing Gloria again. My ears were ringing for weeks after that little number. Nice meeting you little one," he said to Dawn. "Ciao!" And with that he left. Dawn was disappointed, she liked Lorne a lot.

"Yeah, we'd better get gone too, we have to clean out that vamp nest on 12th," Gunn said, getting a few weapons from the cabinet, and handing some to Wesley and Fred.

"You guys need help?" Angel asked.

"No, we have it under control, just stay here with Dawn," Wesley said, testing the spring on a crossbow. The three of them headed out the door. Soon it was just Angel, Dawn, and Cordelia remaining.

"I'll be right back," Cordy said, heading upstairs. "Don't have too much fun without me!" she said, jokingly. Now it was only Angel and Dawn. Angel opened his mouth to speak.

"Cordy's acting a little off because she actually just got her memory back," Angel said. At Dawn's curious look, he quickly replied. "Long story."

At that moment a tall, lanky boy with ruffled brown hair entered the hotel. Dawn immediately straightened up. Whoever he was, this boy was really hot. She instinctively smoothed her hair and smiled.

"Connor! What are you....I mean it's great to see you," Angel said, remembering their fight only days before.

But Connor didn't reply, because he was too busy staring at Dawn. The beautiful brown haired girl was the most gorgeous thing he had ever seen. He noticed her looking back at him and felt self conscious. "I just came to see how Cordelia was," Connor said, not breaking his gaze at Dawn. She was just so beautiful...

"She just went upstairs," Angel said, noticing the gaze between the two teenagers. He gulped. "Dawn, this is my son Connor, Connor this is Dawn Summers, Buffy's sister." He braced himself for Dawn's reaction to the words 'my son.'

But she didn't even seem to notice. "Hi Connor," she said flirtatiously. Connor felt a little flip in his stomach, and he was sure it had nothing to do with what he ate for lunch. All of a sudden Angel's words seemed to register, and she broke the gaze for the first time. "Your WHAT?" she asked suddenly.

Connor moved quickly towards the stairs. "I'll just go see how Cordy is," he said, trying to smile at Dawn. Then he walked upstairs. But he stopped at the top to admire the gorgeous body of the brown haired girl, who was now frowning at Angel, as his father attempted to explain.

"It was a prophecy, this whole child born from two vampires thing..." his father said quickly, at Dawn's furious gaze. He noticed that Connor was still listening. "Why don't you come in my office and we can talk," Angel said to Dawn.

Dawn followed Angel, but stole one last glance upstairs where Angel's mysteriously handsome son was still watching her. She smiled as a thought crossed her mind. _Maybe this week isn't going to be so bad after all._


	2. Chapter 2: Tension and Training

Author's Note: I worked really hard on this chapter, and I'm very proud of it. Please review!

Dedication: To Tara, Darla Rose, CF, cherrygurl1225, and freezyboncoolipants for reviewing Chapter 1! I really appreciate your encouragement!

Chapter 2: Tension and Training

Saturday morning, Los Angeles

"I come bearing food!" Gunn called as he walked into the lobby of the Hyperion Hotel the next morning. He set the box of doughnuts down on the counter. "Not remotely healthy food, but still food," he said, taking a jelly.

"Do I smell doughnuts?" Cordelia said, coming out of the office.

"Make sure we save one for Dawn," Angel said, coming downstairs. Cordelia immediately became quiet and averted her gaze from his. Things had been more than a little awkward since she had gotten her memory back, and his former love's little sister moving in wasn't helping.

"What do you think we are, pigs?" Fred said. She had just come in, and was now helping herself to a Boston creme. Angel opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by Dawn coming downstairs. Considering it was only eight in the morning, she was looking pretty good, already showered and dressed.

"Wow Dawnie, you look nice. Where's the party?" Cordelia said with a slightly forced smile.

Dawn shrugged. "I just wanted to look nice in case...." she stopped herself and smiled. "Doughnuts!" She took one and began to eat, blushing at her near slip-up. She had gotten up at 6:30 because there was no way in hell she was going to let Angel's very handsome son catch her with bed hair and morning breath.

Last night, Angel had explained everything to Dawn about how Connor had come to be. Dawn was amazed that he seemed to have had an even stranger childhood than herself. She felt really bad for both Connor and Angel, and still couldn't believe that he had spent a whole summer in a box on the bottom of the ocean. She also knew that Buffy was going to flip when she found out. She didn't tell Angel that. But none of what Angel had said changed the feeling that she had felt when Connor had looked at her. She really hoped that she would see him again today. Her stomach gave a little flip when she thought of the possibility.

By now everyone had finished their doughnuts, except Angel, who hadn't had one, and they were wandering around the lobby, starting their work for the day. Wesley came in at some point, and took the last doughnut.

Then Dawn remembered something. She entered Angel's office, where he was reading the newspaper. She tapped on the door, and he looked up. "Hey Dawn, what's up?"

She entered the office nervously. "I wanted to ask you a favor."

Angel put down the paper and looked at her expectantly. "Sure."

Dawn paused for a minute. "Can you teach me how to fight?" Angel gave her a look.

"Dawn, Buffy would-"

"Well she already started a little! But she never has enough time, and I though that maybe because I'm here a whole week that I can learn something," Dawn said hurriedly.

Angel looked at her sadly. "Dawn, I appreciate you wanting to learn combat, but Buffy would kill me for teaching you. I'm sorry."

"I'll teach her."

Dawn spun around and her stomach did another little flip when she saw Connor standing there, staring at her fixedly. He had a funny sort of half smile expression on his face.

Dawn stood up quickly, smiling at him. "Really? I would love that," she said.

Angel stood up, shocked to see Connor there twice in 24 hours. As he watched the look being exchanged between him and Dawn, he began to understand. "Connor! Hi. That would be great, but Buffy-"

"Doesn't even know I exist," Connor finished. "It'll be okay." He was smiling at Dawn now. He had never seen such a beautiful girl.

"Okay, well just be careful. You can use downstairs if you want," Angel said, smiling at the two of them. He should have expected this, after all she was Buffy's sister, and Connor was his son.

"Do you want to start now?" Connor said.

Dawn was slightly surprised, but thrilled. "Yes!"

Connor looked her up and down appreciatively. "You should probably change. As nice as it is, that's not really fighting clothes," he said with a smirk.

Dawn blushed as she looked down at her tight jeans and top. "Yeah, you're right. I'll be back in a few," she said. With one last smile, she ran upstairs. Was it her imagination, or had Connor said she looked nice?

"I'll go downstairs now," Connor said, not looking at his father. And with that he was gone.

Ten minutes later Dawn came downstairs, changed into a tank top and sweats. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and Connor thought she looked as beautiful as ever.

"So, you've had training before right? I mean your sister's the slayer," Connor said, realizing that he felt very nervous now that he was alone with her.

"A little. But Buffy's Miss Overprotective and she doesn't like taking me out on patrols with her," Dawn said. "At one point she started teaching me to fight a little, but then she kind of stopped." She was about to mention how she wouldn't even take her to England with the others, but she was becoming very glad that she came to LA instead.

Connor was a little surprised. "But you know the basics right? Like which end of a stake is which?" he said with a smirk.

Dawn put her hands on her hips. "Very funny."

He smiled at her. "Okay, so I figure we should start with basic weapons, then move on to combat," he said.

Dawn smiled suggestively. "You think you can take me?"

Connor smiled back. There was just something about her. "I guess we'll have to see." He picked up a crossbow. "So have you ever used one of these before?"

"No," Dawn said. "So do you enjoy this kind of thing Connor?"

He raised his eyebrows. "What kind of thing? Teaching a beautiful girl how to fight, or fighting vampires?"

She was slightly stunned from his use of the word "beautiful," she managed a reply. "Both."

He smiled. "Well training you, I am definitely enjoying."

"Even though we haven't started yet?" Dawn said.

"I am enjoying just being around you," Connor said softly.

Dawn smiled. "Same here." There was a moment of silence.

"So, come here and I'll show you how to use the crossbow," Connor said. Without hesitation she walked over to him. He handed her the crossbow. "You just aim at the target, we can use the wall right there, and pull the string."

Dawn concentrated at aiming the arrow directly ahead at the wall. Then she pulled the string, but her hand slipped and it flew off to the right and penetrated Angel's punching bag.

Connor laughed. "Good try. Here, let me show you." He positioned himself directly behind her, and reached his arms around her body. "Hold your arms like this," he said, gently sliding her hands into the correct position on the weapon. He felt his body tingle all over as he touched her. "Now try," he said, not letting go of her arms. She pulled the trigger, and the arrow hit the wall directly ahead. "Perfect," he whispered. They were both now extremely aware of how close they were. Dawn slowly turned her head so that it was facing his. He leaned in until only an inch was separating their lips....a half an inch...Dawn closed her eyes...

The door to the basement opened and Cordelia's voice rang out. "Dawn, Buffy's on the phone!"

Dawn and Connor froze for a moment. "I should really talk to her," Dawn whispered. After a long moment, Connor released her.

"Okay." With a small smile, she ran upstairs.

Once she was gone, Connor sat down heavily on the floor. Why had Buffy had to call just now? They had been this close to kissing...the attraction was so strong between them, and he knew she felt it too. He groaned. Why had their perfect moment been interrupted?

Dawn walked blindly upstairs. She could kill Buffy right now. Connor had been this close to kissing her! She couldn't believe how comfortable she felt around him, it was like she'd known him forever, when in reality it had been less than 24 hours.

Cordelia was holding out the phone over by the counter. Dawn took it. "Hey Buffy."

"Hi Dawn. How are you?" said her sister's voice.

"I'm good." She thought of Connor and smiled. "Very good actually. Everyone is really nice."

"That's great. We got here a few hours ago, based on Giles's descriptions we are dealing with the First Evil."

Dawn paused, remembering where she'd heard that name before. "Isn't that the thing..."

"That tried to make Angel kill himself, yes. They are here in England, and they have been targeting other Watchers and potential Slayers. We are still figuring out what we're going to do about it."

"Take your time, I'm fine here," Dawn said hurriedly.

Buffy paused for a moment. "Okay. Well I'm glad you're doing well. I'll call tomorrow to check in okay?"

"Okay. Good luck."

"Bye then. I love you."

"Love you too."

They hung up, and Dawn immediately headed back for the basement, but was stopped when Cordelia called her name. She turned around.

"I was thinking that maybe tomorrow we can have a girls' day, you, me and Fred," Cordelia said. "We can go shopping, maybe catch a chick flick."

Dawn smiled. "Yeah, that sounds like fun." It sucked that she probably wouldn't be able to see Connor tomorrow, but Cordelia had been acting really weird lately, and this was the most excited Dawn had seen her since she had arrived. So she just couldn't say no.

"Great! Angel's giving us the day off and everything." She smiled. "You can get back to your training now."

Dawn smiled and hurried back downstairs. Connor jumped up and smiled when he saw her.

"Everything okay in England?" he asked.

"Yup. They think they're dealing with the First Evil," Dawn said.

Connor frowned. "That's pretty heavy stuff."

Dawn shrugged. "I'm sure Buffy can handle it."

"Are you ready to spar a little bit?" Connor asked.

Dawn raised her eyebrows. "Sure, but just to warn you, I've learned a lot from the slayer."

Connor smiled. "Bring it on." They positioned themselves across from each other. "Okay, just pretend I'm a vampire."

Dawn smiled. "If you say so." She threw a punch, which Connor easily blocked.

"So Dawn, I realized that I don't know much about you. I'm guessing you got my life story from Angel, so it's about time you fess up." He easily blocked another punch.

Dawn raised her eyebrows, as she threw another punch, which he dodged easily. "Well you will be surprised to know that my crazy childhood rivals even yours, in the context that I didn't have one," she said. "I am actually only two and a half years old, until then I was a blob of energy called the Key."

Connor looked surprised, and his momentary distraction was enough for Dawn to get in one good punch. He stumbled back slightly. "Wow. Nice punch."

"And there was this crazy hell god named Glory who wanted to put me in a lock and use my energy to get back to her home dimension. Buffy sacrificed herself to save me."

They both stopped fighting for a second. "Cordelia told me about how Buffy died last summer. That must have been really hard for you."

Dawn sat heavily on the floor. "It was. But she's back now. And better than ever."

Connor sat down beside her. "I hear that my father and your sister had quite the relationship," he said.

Dawn sighed. "Boy did they. You got a few hours free, because I'll gladly share the story."

Connor smiled. "It's okay. I'd rather hear more about you."

Dawn smiled back. "I'm not that interesting really."

Connor looked her in the eye. "I find you very interesting."

2 hours later...

"So then we were all trapped in the house for like 40 hours," Dawn said. "All because of me."

Connor laughed. "Well at least you never sent your father to the bottom of the ocean in a box."

Dawn laughed. "I guess you've got me there."

She looked at her watch and gasped. "Oh my God! We have been talking for a really long time!"

Connor smiled. "But I enjoyed it. I think I officially know most of what there is to know about you Dawn Summers."

Dawn smiled back. "This was fun. Thanks. For the training, and the conversation."

"Any time. Speaking of times, want to do this again tomorrow?"

Dawn smacked her head. "Tomorrow not so much. I'm going shopping with Cordy and Fred. Maybe we can hang out tomorrow night?" She crossed her fingers, praying he'd say yes.

He smiled, much to Dawn's relief. "I would love that. Maybe I can take you out on patrol, you can test out your new fighting skills."

Dawn grinned. "It's a date."

Just then Fred called downstairs. "Dawn! It's time for lunch!"

Dawn stood up. "I'd better go. You gonna stick around?"

Connor shook his head. "No. It's still...It's not you, I'm just not very comfortable with them." He gestured upstairs.

"I understand. Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Dawn said.

Connor smiled back. "I can't wait." With that she went upstairs, leaving him to bask in his good fortune.


	3. Chapter 3: Kyrumption

Author's Note: Here's Chapter 3! This one is really cute too. Enjoy! Please R&R!

Chapter 3: Kyrumption

Sunday, Los Angeles

"Do you guys always buy this much stuff?" Fred asked, sounding exhausted. It was Sunday afternoon, and Fred had just experienced 4 hours of shopping with Cordelia and Dawn. Fred had never seen anything like it in her life.

"Oh, this is nothing," Cordelia said, gesturing to the 5 bags she was carrying. "You should have seen me in high school."

Dawn laughed. She had 3 bags of her own, and she admitted that she was having a great time. Granted, it wasn't as much fun as being with Connor, but it was a nice change of pace to have a girls' day. It made her wish that Buffy went shopping with her more often. Besides, Cordelia had great taste, and she had found a great outfit to wear on patrol tonight with Connor. She hadn't told her the reason she needed a new outfit, and Cordelia hadn't asked, because she had no special occasion for the 3 outfits she had bought either.

"I guess a few years in a hell dimension makes you forget how to shop a little," Fred said.

"Oh, you did great! And that halter top looks absolutely fabulous on you," Cordelia said. They reached the food court. "Ready to refuel?"

"Definitely," Dawn said. She was starving. Shopping with Cordelia was definitely an exhausting experience.

The trio got their food and sat down at a table, where they plopped down their many bags and began to eat.

"So Dawn," Cordelia said in between french fries, "How did the training with Connor go yesterday?"

_Here we go_, Dawn thought. She had been waiting for someone to ask her that. She smiled. "It was great."

Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "I saw the way he was looking at you. And the way you were looking back."

Dawn felt herself turning red. "Well he's really nice. Not to mention cute." She shoved another french fry in her mouth and pretended to be fascinated with the table.

"I knew it! I knew there was something going on with the two of you," Cordelia said triumphantly. "That's good though. He's a good kid, and he's had it pretty rough. This is probably good for him."

"Nothing's going on," Dawn said. _Yet._ "Except..." she stopped herself.

"What?" asked Fred, obviously interested.

"Well he almost kissed me. But then Buffy called," she said, blushing some more.

Cordelia's eyes widened. "Wow! When are you seeing him again?"

"Tonight. He's taking me on patrol with him."

"I'll bet that's why you got the sexy outfit!" Cordelia said, smiling.

Dawn grinned. "Yes."

"You see, it's kyrumption," Fred said matter-of-factly.

Dawn frowned. "Kya-what?"

Fred laughed. "Kyrumption. It's a Pylean word that means when two heroes come together and realize that their fates are tied."

Dawn smiled. "Kyrumption. I like that."

"I guess it's only natural, considering that your sister is the slayer and used to be in love with Connor's daddy," Fred went on.

"Not used to. She still is. She might not admit it, but I know that she still loves Angel," Dawn said.

Cordelia stood up suddenly. "Well are we ready to go to the movie?"

Dawn frowned slightly at Cordelia's sudden reaction. "Sure." They threw out their trash and headed towards the movie theater. When they got there, Cordelia got in line for the tickets, while Dawn and Fred watched the bags.

"Fred, is something going on with Angel and Cordelia?" Dawn asked. "Just the way she reacted when I mentioned Buffy, and they always seem so tense around each other."

Fred sighed. "Something kind of was going on. We think. They never talked much about it. But last summer, right before Cordelia became a higher being and Connor put Angel in the ocean, they were supposed to meet to talk about their future."

"But they never did," Dawn said. Everything made sense now.

"Yeah. And then she just got the memories back, so that's why the tension is there," Fred said. They stopped their conversation when Cordelia returned with the tickets.

"One chick flick, coming right up," Cordelia said. Dawn was silent. She finally understood the way Cordelia had been acting lately. As they entered the theater, she realized how lucky she and Connor were to have the opportunity to start a relationship.

Dawn felt excited butterflies in her stomach as she dressed that night. In a few minutes, she was going to see Connor again, and spend the whole night with him! Well not the whole night, but good enough.

She stepped back and admired herself in the mirror. She was wearing her new jeans, with a black tube top, black belt, and fitted black jacket. She thought she looked very cute. After one last look at herself she headed downstairs to wait for Connor.

Cordelia and Fred were waiting down in the lobby. They grinned as Dawn descended the stairs. "You look fantastic," Cordelia said sincerely. Fred nodded in agreement.

Dawn smiled nervously. "Thanks. Is he here yet?"

Just then Connor walked in the door of the hotel. To Dawn's delight, he was carrying a red rose.

He smiled at her. "Wow. You look..." his voice trailed off. He walked towards her. "I brought you this." He handed her the flower.

Dawn smiled. "I love it."

Connor glanced at Cordelia and Fred nervously. "So are you ready to go?"

"Yup. Did you wanna grab some weapons or something?" she asked.

Connor nodded. "I'll go get some. I'll be right back." He headed downstairs.

Dawn smiled happily as she smelled her rose. "He is sooo sweet."

Fred smiled. "That's kyrumption if I've ever seen it."

A few minutes later Dawn and Connor were walking along the street. He was carrying a bag full of weapons. It was a nice, breezy night, and the streets were fairly empty.

"Did you have fun today?" Connor asked.

"Yes I did. Cordelia sure can shop," Dawn said with a laugh. "What did you do today?"

He smiled softly. "Mostly counted the minutes until I would see you again."

There was a brief moment of silence. Then Connor spoke, more forcefully this time. "I figured we would head down Lark Street, there's always a few vampires there," he said.

Dawn felt the nervous butterflies return. She really didn't want to embarrass herself in front of Connor. "You think I'm ready?"

He smiled. "I think you're a very fast learner, and you have good instincts."

Dawn was pleased with his compliment. "Thanks! I guess I pick a lot of it up from watching Buffy." They turned onto Lark Street.

"I'm sure you do." He pulled a stake out of the bag and handed it to her. "There's other weapons in the bag. Don't worry, I've got your back."

Dawn smiled. "Good to know."

This street was very dark, and completely deserted. Then Dawn heard movement up ahead, and felt her heart begin to beat faster. Connor moved ahead slightly, his own stake ready. He dropped the bag of weapons near Dawn.

A moment later two vampires jumped out of the shadows. Connor began to fight the first one, but the second one headed towards Dawn. She gulped. "Here goes nothing."

By the time the vampire reached her she was ready, and got him with a good kick. He stumbled back, but charged again. She tried to kick him again, but he bested her and knocked her to the ground, knocking the stake out of her hand. The vampire grinned viciously, and bent in for the kill.

"Dawn!" Connor yelled. He staked the other vampire, and began running towards Dawn. But she was ready. She pulled a vial of holy water out of her pocket, and threw it in the vampire's face. While he was screaming in pain, she grabbed her stake and put it through the vampire's heart. He turned to dust.

Connor's eyes were wide. "Very impressive." He moved to help Dawn up, but just then another vampire leapt out of the shadows. He knocked Connor off his feet, and he landed roughly beside Dawn. He leaned in to bite him, but Dawn staked him in the back before collapsing back onto the ground.

Connor blinked. "Wow. Thanks," he said. "Are you okay?" He rolled over onto his side so he was facing her.

She didn't say anything, just smiled at him. They were very close, and she could feel the heat from his body. He slowly moved his hand to touch her face. "You look so beautiful tonight," he said softly. Then, slowly, he leaned in, and soon their lips met. Dawn relaxed as he kissed her, and moved her arms around his neck. They kissed passionately for several long moments before breaking apart for air.

"Wow," Dawn whispered. She became very aware that he was practically lying on top of her.

After a few intense moments, Connor stood up. He reached his hand out and helped Dawn up. She brushed herself off. "Two vamps. Not bad for my first time." 

Connor smiled, still thinking about the kiss. "You were incredible." He picked up the bag of weapons. "I think that's enough violence for one night," he joked.

Dawn smiled, then reached out to take his free hand. "I think there are definitely better things we could do with our night." They kept walking, and they were soon deep in conversation once again.

A while later the reached the Hyperion Hotel. "Thank you Connor. I had a great time," Dawn said sincerely.

He smiled. They were still holding hands. "Thank _you_. Want to train again tomorrow?"

"I can't wait." Smiling, she took a step towards him, and he kissed her again. They became so caught up in the kiss that they didn't notice that they had spectators.

"That's kyrumption all right," Fred sighed, as she, Cordelia, and Angel watched the two teenagers from inside.

Angel sighed too. "Buffy's so going to kill me."


	4. Chapter 4: Sparring and a Movie

Author's Note: Hey, here's chapter 4. Sorry for the wait, I got caught up in The Buffyverse's Island. I hope everyone had a safe and fun 4th of July. I love this chapter, it turned out really cute. I also love the movie, it's one of my favorites. Sorry it's kind of short. There will be 3 more chapters after this, then two more stories, because I decided to make this into a 3 story series. Yay, huh? Well, R&R!

Chapter 4: Sparring and a Movie

Monday, Los Angeles

Dawn collapsed onto the floor, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "Wow. That was some workout."

Connor collapsed beside her, panting. "You are starting to give me a run for my money."

Dawn smiled. "I'm a fast learner."

The duo had been downstairs sparring for over an hour now. They had also been squeezing in kisses from time to time, pleased with the new twist in their relationship.

"That you are." He leaned in and kissed her again. They only broke apart due to a sudden mutual need for oxygen.

Dawn grinned at him. "This is really nice. This us thing."

He smiled back. "I am enjoying this 'us thing' too." He sprung back up to his feet. "Ready to go again?"

With a groan Dawn stood up. "One more time. Then I'm spent."

Then the two began "fighting," each playfully throwing punches and kicks at the other. Dawn was really getting the moves down, executing a complicated duck and roll to avoid one of Connor's blows. But finally Connor got the best of her and tackled her to the ground.

Dawn panted, enjoying the close contact. "Well I guess you beat me."

Without speaking Connor kissed her again, more passionately this time, relieving the tension between them. They continued to make out, rolling over so that Dawn was on top. After several minutes they broke apart.

"I want to take you out tonight," Connor said suddenly, sitting up. "On a real date."

Dawn smiled, slightly surprised. "I'd like that a lot. "

Connor stood up, suddenly feeling nervous. "Do you want to see a movie? I can probably get Cordy to drive us."

Dawn smiled. "Yes, but I get to pick the movie."

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you want to see?"

Dawn giggled. "How are you with scary movies? Because there is this one called _The Ring _out that looks really good."

Connor smiled. "Sounds fine to me. I guess we have enough scary in our lives that it will seem like nothing."

Dawn nodded. "So it's a date."

Connor grinned. "Yup. I'll talk to Cordy now, and then I'll come by around 7."

Dawn smiled. "I can't wait." They kissed one more time. "I should really go shower now. I have a hot date tonight."

Connor smirked. "So do I." And with one last kiss she ran upstairs, daydreaming of their date that night.

At seven o clock that night, Dawn, Connor, and Cordelia were in Angel's car en route to the movie theater. They had run into Angel when they were about to leave. His reaction to the two of them had been a little weird. He seemed slightly pleased by it, especially the fact that his son was now around more often, but looked like he had a slight sense of dread. He was probably thinking about what Buffy was going to do to him when she found out her sister had spent the week making out in the basement of Angel's hotel with his son.

"Well here we go," Cordelia said, pulling to a stop at the entrance to the movie theater. "I'll be back when the movie ends. Have a great time!"

Dawn and Connor both thanked her, and she drove away. "Shall we?" Connor said, holding out his arm. Dawn smiled and took his hand.

They bought popcorn and soda from the snack bar, then headed into the theater. There was already a decent crowd. "Where do you want to sit?" Connor asked. He had never actually been in a real movie theater before, just to the drive in that one time.

"In the back," Dawn said matter-of-factly, climbing the stairs and munching on popcorn. "That way, if it turns out the movie totally sucks, we can just make out," she said, flashing a smile back at him. Connor smiled and followed her, now secretly hoping that the movie would suck.

They settled in their seats and watched the previews. A few times their hands brushed while reaching for more popcorn and they would smile and kiss.

When the movie started they settled back in their seats to watch. It was surprisingly engrossing, but there were some scary parts, during which Dawn would squeeze Connor's hand. Finally he just put his arm around her, and she settled back against him.

Two hours later the credits began to roll, while everyone sat there in shocked silence. "Oh, my God," Dawn said. "That was great!"

Connor tried to smile, but he was still kind of freaked out from the end of the movie. "More like extremely freaky."

Dawn grinned at him. "You were scared, weren't you?"

Connor threw a piece of leftover popcorn at her. "Maybe a little. But it was scary, with the killing, and the TVs and everything! Besides you were scared too, you kept squeezing my hand!"

Dawn grinned. "Are you complaining?"

Connor smiled back. "Of course not." He kissed her. When they came up for air, they noticed that they were the only people left in the theater.

"We'd better go, Cordy's waiting," Connor said. "That was really nice."

Dawn smiled. "It was." They stood up and slowly walked out of the theater. "I had an idea for what we could do tomorrow," she said hesitantly.

Connor looked at her. "What?"

She smiled nervously. "I thought maybe we could go down to the pier. We could go on the rides, and eat junk food, and you could win me a big stuffed animal," Dawn said.

Connor smiled. "That sounds nice."

Dawn smiled back, relieved. "Great! I'm glad you like the idea. It's just something that boyfriends and girlfriends do a lot."

Connor straightened up as they approached the car. "Boyfriends and girlfriends, huh?"

Dawn grinned. "I love the sound of that."

Connor smiled back, and squeezed her hand. "So do I."


	5. Chapter 5: Whatever the Future May Bring

Chapter 5: Whatever the Future May Bring

Tuesday, Los Angeles

The next morning Dawn came downstairs, ready to spend the day with Connor. But she was feeling kind of haunted. Last night it had really hit her for the first time that she would probably only be in Los Angeles for a few more days. Buffy had called when she got back from the movies, and she said that the problem was nearly resolved, and that they were coming back by the end of the week. Dawn was saddened and confused, because she was falling hard and fast for Connor and didn't know what she would do. But after long hours of tossing and turning she had decided to make the best of the time they had, and then go from there.

"Hey Dawnie," Cordelia said. She was reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. "All ready for the big day?"

Dawn smiled. "Yes." She couldn't wait to have some fun with Connor at the pier.

Just then Connor walked in. "Hello beautiful," he said, giving Dawn a kiss.

Cordelia smiled and stood up. "Are you ready? We should probably go before Mr. Broods-a-lot gets up."

Dawn and Connor smiled. "Thanks for driving us," Connor said.

Cordelia laughed as they walked out the door. "Anything for you guys."

Half an hour later Dawn and Connor were strolling down the pier, hand in hand. "So what do you want to do first?" Dawn asked. "Rides? Games? Shops? Junk food?"

Connor was eyeing one of the roller coasters. "How about a ride. I've never been on one before."

Dawn stopped dead in her tracks and blinked. "You've never been on a ride?" Connor shook his head. She started dragging him towards the ticket booth. "Well I guess we have a busy day ahead of us!"

They purchased a book of tickets, and looked around at the different rides. "I think we'd better try something a little tamer than the roller coaster first," she said. She smiled when she spotted the perfect ride. "Come on."

A few minutes later Connor found himself at the top of the Ferris Wheel. His eyes were wide as he looked down. It was a really long way down.

"Welcome to the Ferris Wheel, classic American amusement park staple. Best known for stopping you right at the top," Dawn said. "You know what else Ferris Wheels are good for?"

Connor looked at her. "Falling to your death?"

Dawn laughed. "I was going to say making out." She leaned in and kissed him as the ride began to move. Soon, between Dawn's kisses and the motion of the ride, Connor began to enjoy the Ferris Wheel.

The ride stopped, and Dawn and Connor exited. "Roller coaster now?" Connor asked.

Dawn shook her head. "You're not ready yet. Let's go on the Scrambler. A step up from the Ferris Wheel, but not to be ridden after lunch."

Connor enjoyed the Scrambler very much. He liked the fast pace. After that they rode the Tilt-A-Whirl and the Swings. Finally Dawn decided he was ready for the roller coaster. They got in line for the only one on the fairly small pier. It was called The Whipper-Snapper, and it was a classic, big wooden roller coaster.

After about ten minutes in line they boarded the ride and fastened their seatbelts. Then the train began to move, and Connor gulped. It was much scarier when your feet weren't firmly planted on the ground.

"Get ready! Hands up!" Dawn yelled as they reached the top. Connor blanched as he saw the railing alongside the track gradually flattening out. Then all of a sudden they were flying straight down. Dawn was screaming and her hands were stretched in the air. After the immediate shock was over, Connor began to smile. The roller coaster was definitely his favorite ride.

The train came to a stop at the platform. "So what did you think?" Dawn asked, her cheeks flushed.

Connor grinned. "Let's go again."

They went on the Whipper-Snapper 3 more times, then moved on to the Pirate Ship and the Bumper Cars. Connor liked the bumper cars too, except for when a pimply, overweight kid rammed into him.

Finally their tickets ran out. Grinning from ear to ear, they walked along the pier in search of food. "So did you like the rides?" Dawn asked.

Connor grinned. "Yeah, they were great. I guess trips to the amusement park are something you miss out on when you spend your childhood in a hell dimension."

Three slices of pizza, 2 hot dogs, and 2 ice creams later, they were strolling along the side of the pier with the games. "Which prize do you want?" Connor asked.

Dawn smiled. "Are you going to win one for me?"

Connor grinned. "I thought that's what boyfriends did."

Dawn grinned back, and kissed him softly. "Okay, let's see. I like...." she carefully studied all the booths and the various stuffed animals on display. "The rainbow colored dolphin."

Connor saw that the prize she chose was at a dart-throwing booth. Piece of cake. "Then you shall have it," he said. He paid the fee and the guy handed him 3 darts.

"Pop 1 balloon for a small, 2 for a medium, and 3 for a large," the guy said, sounding bored. "Good luck, no one ever wins."

Connor glanced up and noticed that the dolphin was a large prize. He took aim carefully, and popped the first balloon easily. The guy straightened up. Then he easily popped the second 2. Dawn cheered.

"Wow, never seen anyone do that before," the guy said, sounding awed. 

"I'll take the dolphin," Connor said proudly. The guy handed him one, and he gave it to Dawn, who gave him a hug and a kiss.

"You were great! Thank you!" she squealed. Connor smiled, pleased that he made her so happy.

"Anything for you. So what do you want to do now?" he asked. It was a little after 3 in the afternoon. Cordelia was coming to pick them up at 5, then she was taking them out to dinner.

"Let's just sit for a while," Dawn said, heading for a nearby bench. He sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her. For a few moments they just sat, watching the people go by and enjoying each other's company. Dawn decided that it was a good time to mention her concerns.

"Connor..." her voice trailed off. She didn't know how to begin.

"What is it baby?" he asked, concerned.

She looked up at him. "These last 5 days have been the best of my life."

Connor smiled. "Mine too."

Dawn took a deep breath. "But I think we need to talk about what is going to happen when Buffy gets back."

Connor bit his lip. He had been wondering when she would bring this up. It had been nagging at the back of his own mind too. "You mean when you have to go back to Sunnydale."

Dawn sighed. "Yeah." She snuggled in closer to him. "I wish things weren't so complicated. If I didn't have school maybe I could-"

Connor silenced her with a finger over her lips. "Here's an idea. How about we don't talk about this right now." Dawn started to protest, but he silenced her again. "We can talk about it when the time comes, but for now we should just enjoy this time we have together. But you have to know that I would do anything to be with you forever."

Dawn smiled up at Connor, tears in her eyes. "That's so sweet."

They kissed softly. "It's amazing how much your life can change in just a few days," Dawn said softly.

Connor stroked her hair. "It really is." Then they just sat there together on the bench until it was time to leave.


	6. Chapter 6: Sweet Time

Author's Note: Here's chapter 6! Only one more chapter to go, but remember this is the first in a trilogy. The trilogy will be called "Dawn & Connor: Miracles Happen." The next installment will be called Meant to Be and will begin immediately after chapter 7 of Falling. So enjoy, and please R&R! I also want to mention that this story is now listed at Unnatural, the D/C shipper site. Yay!

Chapter 6: Sweet Time

Wednesday, Los Angeles

Dawn hurried down the stairs the next morning, grinning. "Hey!" she said, greeting her new boyfriend with a hug and a kiss.

"Hey yourself," he said, pausing a moment to shake the water off his clothes. It was pouring outside.

Dawn pouted. "It's all crappy out."

Connor smiled and pulled her closer to him. "We can find ways to entertain ourselves inside," he said softly, kissing her again. They broke apart when the sound of Angel clearing his throat loudly interrupted them.

"Hey Angel," Dawn said, blushing. It wasn't every day that your boyfriend's father, who happened to be your sister's ex, interrupted one of your make out sessions.

"Hey. Connor, can I talk to you for a minute?" Angel asked.

Connor looked at Dawn, reluctant to leave her side. "Okay, I guess," he said, following Angel to his office. Once they were inside Angel shut the door and began to pace.

"I just needed to talk to you about this...thing with Dawn," he said slowly.

Connor frowned. "It isn't a _thing. _I really care about her and this last week has been the best of my life. And what business is it of yours, anyway?"

Angel stopped pacing and stared at him icily. "Connor. It is my business because not only are you my son but Dawn is Buffy's sister."

"But you dumped Buffy. So what does it matter?" Connor said, not even trying to be nice.

Angel frowned. "I still care about her very much. But that isn't why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to talk to you to make sure you realize that in a few days, Buffy will be coming through that door to bring Dawn home."

Connor looked down. "I know. We've talked about it."

Angel sighed. "Well what did you decide?"

"That we were going to enjoy this time together and deal with it when the time came," Connor said simply.

Angel blinked. "Well that time is fast approaching. And I do not want to see you break Dawn's heart like-"

"Like you broke her sister's," Connor finished. "And don't worry, I would never hurt Dawn like that."

Angel rubbed his forehead. This conversation was definitely not going as planned. "Okay. I can see you don't want to listen to me. But let me just remind you that Dawn is 16 years old. She is young, she is still in school and she has her whole future ahead of her."

"I know that. And so does she. Are we done here, because my girlfriend's waiting for me," Connor said, standing up.

Angel looked down. "Fine." Connor turned around and went back to Dawn.

"What was that about?" she asked nervously.

Connor shook his head. "Nothing. He just wanted to grill me on our plans for when...for when Buffy comes back."

"What did you tell him?" Dawn said quietly.

"I told him what we decided. Do you want to go do something?" he said, eager to forget about his conversation with his father.

Dawn nodded. "Sure. I don't really feel like training today, so is it okay if we just go upstairs and hang out? We can watch tv, or we can just talk."

Connor smiled. "That sounds nice." Then they headed upstairs, hand in hand, while Angel watched from behind the desk.

He was so not looking forward to Buffy's return. The one major problem was that she didn't even know that Connor existed, and she probably wasn't going to take the news too lightly, especially when she found out he'd been making out with her little sister all week. He just had to find the right words to tell her everything, before she found out about Dawn and Connor. Then maybe he could salvage the situation. But it wasn't going to be easy, especially because every time he was around Buffy his desire for her made it so he could barely think straight. It was hard to have a civilized conversation with someone when every bone in your body was telling you to take them right there, on the floor, and-

He didn't let himself finish that thought. It also didn't help that every time he saw her he remembered the forgotten day. It made him ache all over when he thought of what they had, and what was stripped away. What she didn't remember.

He shook his head to clear the thoughts. Right now he had to focus on the case files piled up on the desk. He could figure out what he was going to say to Buffy later.

"I just wish he would get off my back. He just doesn't get me at all. Not like you do," Connor said to Dawn. They were upstairs in her room, sitting on the floor near the bed.

Dawn squeezed his hand. "I know. But he really tries," she said helpfully.

"What exactly happened with him and your sister? Because every time I bring her up he gets this look," Connor said.

Dawn sighed. "I know the look. Buffy gets the same one when you mention Angel." She paused. "I can tell you the whole story if you want, we have time," she said.

Connor nodded. "I'd like to hear it. Maybe then I can understand him better."

Dawn sighed. "Well it all started back when we moved to Sunnydale..."

"Wow," Connor said quietly, over an hour later. Dawn had just told him the whole tragic story of Buffy and Angel. "I didn't know that it was..."

"That bad," Dawn finished for him. "I know. And you didn't have to live through it. Even though I wasn't technically...you get the point," she said, frowning.

Connor touched her hand gently. "It must be hard. Knowing that your memories aren't real," he said softly.

She smiled slightly. "But the ones from this week are. And that's all that matters."

Touched, Connor leaned in and kissed her. Then they were interrupted by a knocking on the door.

"Dawn? Buffy's on the phone," Angel called.

Dawn stood up. "I'll be right back."

She followed Angel downstairs and picked up the phone. "Hey Buffy."

"Hi Dawnie. How are you? I miss you."

"I'm good," Dawn said. She had to be careful during these conversations, because she wanted to tell Buffy about Connor in person.

"Guess what? We're almost done here. We kicked a little demon booty and we're getting ready to come back. We're bringing three girls with us, they're potential slayers and they need training. They're about your age."

"That's nice," Dawn said, her heart sinking faster than the Titanic.

"So we're trying to get a flight ASAP. We could be back as early as tomorrow."

Dawn bit her lip. "Great."

"Well I've got to go, we have to call the airport to book a flight. I love you."

"Love you too." They hung up.

Dawn just stood there for a minute. During the short conversation, everything had become all too real.

"Hey, are you okay?" Connor said, coming down the stairs.

Dawn laughed. "Yeah. Buffy's coming back as early as tomorrow to bring me back to Sunnyhell where I will have to share our house with 3 other teenage girls. I'm just peachy."

Connor put his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "It's going to be okay as long as you know that I'd do anything to stay with you."

Dawn smiled slightly. "I know." They broke apart. "I want to do something extra special tomorrow. Maybe we can have a picnic in the park? Just the two of us?"

Connor smiled. "I'd like that." They hugged again. Even though she was now looking forward to spending tomorrow with Connor, Dawn had a feeling that things were going to get very, very ugly when Buffy returned.


	7. Chapter 7: A New Beginning?

Author's Note: Wow, two chapters in one day, that's a record. So this is it, until the second installment of the trilogy. I promise it will start extremely soon, like this week. Thanks to everyone who supported this fic, it was very fun to write. You probably know by now that I love using songs in my fics, and this one is no exception. The song is Eighth World Wonder by Kimberley Locke. Enjoy! 3 Erin

Chapter 7: A New Beginning?

Thursday, Los Angeles

The next morning Dawn came downstairs with a smile on her face. She had succeeded in putting her conversation with Buffy out of her mind and focusing on spending the day with her boyfriend. She had even gone grocery shopping with Cordelia last night to get some food for the picnic. Everything was all packed, and now she was just waiting for Connor.

As she looked through the picnic basket to make sure she had everything, she heard the phone ring. Angel answered it in his office. She heard him say "Angel Investigations, we help the helpless," just as they did every time someone called. However Dawn had noticed that business wasn't exactly booming. Over the course of the whole week she'd only seen three walk-in clients.

"Dawn, it's Buffy," Angel said, handing her the phone. Dawn sighed, and paused a moment before speaking.

"Hey Buffy."

"Hey Dawnie. I only have a minute, we're at the airport right now about to board the flight. We get there at 8 pm your time, then we just need to pick up the car and come by to get you."

Dawn felt like her head was spinning. This was not happening. It was too soon! "Um, sure."

"So get your bags packed, okay? I have to go now, we're boarding. I'll see you tonight! I love you."

"Love you too," Dawn said. She felt like someone else had spoken the words. She hung up the phone and sank down to the floor.

"Dawn? Are you okay?" Angel asked cautiously.

Dawn didn't respond. And she didn't have to, because at that moment, Connor walked in the door of the hotel. "Hey baby! Ready to have some fun?" He stopped when he saw the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Buffy's coming back tonight," Dawn said flatly.

Connor stopped and stood still. He took a moment to absorb that information before speaking. "Come on. We planned a great day, and we are going to have one." He reached down and helped her up.

Dawn smiled slightly. "Okay. Let me get the stuff." She headed back to get the picnic basket.

Angel turned to Connor. "You can't pretend you didn't hear her. Buffy will be here tonight, and we will all have some serious explaining to do." Connor just nodded. Dawn returned, and he took the picnic basket from her. Then they left, not saying another word to Angel.

Once outside the doors, Dawn turned to Connor frantically. "What are we going to do? My sister will be here in less than 12 hours, and we still haven't decided what we're going to do!"

Connor placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. We'll go to the park, have our picnic, and then we'll come back early and talk."

Dawn nodded. "Okay." Then he took her hand and they headed off.

"I am so full," Connor said, collapsing onto the blanket.

Dawn giggled. "This is obviously your first picnic. Because any veteran knows that the point of picnics is stuffing yourself beyond all recognition, then working it off," she said, rolling closer to him.

Connor smiled. "And how do you do that?" He kissed her softly. Before he knew what was happening she was pulling him to his feet.

"By enjoying the park! Come on, let's go on the swings," Dawn said, dragging him toward the fairly empty playground.

Connor laughed. "If you say so." He surprised her by picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder, then running towards the swings. She shrieked.

_Woke up early this mornin'   
Made my coffee like I always do   
Then it hit me from nowhere   
Everything I feel about me and you   
The way you kiss me crazy   
Baby you're so amazing _

Connor sat Dawn down on the swing and pushed her. She laughed as he pushed her really high, causing a nearby kid to start yelling "Mommy, push me like that!"

After a few minutes on the swings, Dawn jumped down. "What's next?" Connor asked.

"Slide!" Dawn said, grinning.

_Seven days and seven nights of thunder   
The water's rising and I'm slipping under   
I think I fell in love with the eighth world wonder _

Dawn and Connor climbed to the top of the slide and went down together, landing in the grass at the bottom. They kissed again and rolled over onto the grass.

"You look beautiful today," Connor said softly.

She smiled. "You say that every day."

_I guess that I'm just fallin'   
Deeper into something I've never known   
But the way I'm feelin'   
Makes me realize it can't be wrong   
Your love's like a summer rain   
Washin' my doubts away _

Dawn spotted a Frisbee lying nearby. "Ready?" she asked, as Connor darted a little ways away. Then she threw the Frisbee as hard as he could. She laughed as he leaped to catch it and failed miserably.

"You can fight against unspeakable demons but you can't catch a Frisbee," she teased.

He faked anger. "Let's see you catch it." He threw it easily, and Dawn caught it midair. Then she stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend and laughed.

"Okay, try me again," he said, preparing to catch it this time. She threw it again, and this time he caught it.

"Five stars," Dawn said, running over to him. He picked her up again and spun her around, kissing her.

_Seven days and seven nights of thunder   
The water's rising and I'm slipping under   
I think I fell in love with the eighth world wonder _

A little while later they returned to the picnic blanket. "That was fun," Connor said, slightly out of breath.

Dawn smiled. "Have you been enjoying this?"

Connor looked at her. "What?"

"Living a little," she said quietly.

He smiled and pulled her close. "It's been amazing. Just knowing you has been amazing."

She smiled at him. Then she glanced at her watch, and her smile faded. "Five o'clock. We should get back and..."

Connor kissed her cheek. "I know. Let's go." They stood up slowly and gathered their things. Then they strolled off in the direction of the Hyperion Hotel, arm in arm.

_It's only been a week,but   
It's coming over me, yeah   
It's making me believe that   
You're the one for me_

_Seven days and seven nights of thunder   
The water's rising and I'm slipping under   
I think I fell in love with the eighth world wonder _

A little while later they were climbing the stairs inside the hotel. The whole staff of Angel Investigations was there, and they all gave the couple annoying, sympathetic looks as they came in, but Dawn and Connor ignored them.

When they reached Dawn's room, they went inside and closed the door. Dawn turned to face Connor. "We have to talk."

Three hours later they descended the stairs, hand in hand. Angel came over to meet them. "Where are your bags?" he asked Dawn.

"In my room," she replied simply. Then she and Connor sat down on the bottom step, looking very content.

"That doesn't look like a couple who's about to have a lot of distance between them, does it?" Gunn said quietly to Fred.

Fred just smiled. "I don't think they're going to let that happen. Kyrumption is destiny."

Meanwhile Angel paced in his office. He had been rehearsing in his head what he was going to say to Buffy about Connor all day. But he had a terrible feeling that once she was there in front of him it would all be forgotten.

Everyone straightened up when Buffy entered the hotel a few minutes later. Dawn looked at Connor quickly, and he squeezed her hand. Then they stood up. Buffy hurried over and hugged her sister. She quickly glanced at the boy beside her, briefly wondering who he was.

"Hey Buffy," Dawn said, trying to be confident. "How was the flight?"

"It was good," Buffy said. Her eyes met Angel's, and they both smiled. "Hi Angel. Hi everyone," she said, glancing around at the others. She turned back to Dawn. "Are your bags all packed? The others are waiting in the car. We had to rent a second one, since we picked up some newbies," she said with a smile.

Dawn took a deep breath. She glanced at Connor for reassurance before looking her sister in the eye. "Yes, they are. But I'm sorry Buffy. I'm not going anywhere without my boyfriend."

The End

To Be Continued in the second installment of Erin's trilogy- Dawn & Connor: Miracles Happen.


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